St. John’s to play Syracuse Crunch for Mary Brown’s Cup

The St. John’s IceCaps are pleased to announce that Corner Brook, NL, will be the site of the team’s 2012-13 training camp. The club will arrive in Corner Brook Sept. 30 and hold camp at the Pepsi Centre from Oct. 1-5.

In addition to the camp, there will be a three-game exhibition series throughout Newfoundland against the Syracuse Crunch, billed as the Mary Brown’s Cup.

IceCaps President and CEO Danny Williams made the announcement this morning.

“We are really pleased this year to bring our training camp to the west coast, and to share exciting IceCaps hockey with communities throughout the province with our exhibition games,” said Mr. Williams. “The City of Corner Brook is a great hockey town with devoted and knowledgeable fans, so it is a natural choice for training camp this year.

“With games being held in three communities, we give our players an opportunity to experience more of our great province, and we also expose the team to a broader fan base,” Mr. Williams stated. “We look forward to welcoming the Syracuse Crunch for the Mary Brown’s Cup and to kicking off our second season of IceCaps hockey.”

With camp in Corner Brook, Jason King gets to show off his hometown to his IceCaps teammates, something that has the west coast folks excited.

“Corner Brook is thrilled to be hosting the 2012 IceCaps training camp and exhibition game at the Pepsi Centre,” said Will Smith, general manger of the Pepsi Centre in Corner Brook. “We are looking forward to the chance to witness elite level professional practices and game competition.

“It also goes without saying that it will be real treat to cheer Corner Brook’s own Jason King in action in his hometown.”

Game 1 in the series will take place Thursday, Oct. 4 in Corner Brook. Game 2 will be played Friday, Oct. 5 in Stephenville. The third game of the series will take place Sunday afternoon, Oct. 7, at the Clarenville Events Centre.

“The Kinsmen Club of Bay St. George is proud to bring the spirit of hockey back to Stephenville at a professional level,” President Corey Oliver stated. “This will be the first time in more than a decade that this calibre of hockey has been played in our town. The Kinsmen, the Town of Stephenville and the fans of Bay St. George are excited to host our own St. John’s IceCaps.”

The Pepsi Centre in Corner Brook will be home to the IceCaps in the days leading up to the exhibition games. The team will run its camp out of the Pepsi Centre from Oct. 1 through 5. Following the Friday night game, the two teams will head to Clarenville for the Sunday match.

“The Clarenville Events Centre and Town of Clarenville are thrilled to be hosting the IceCaps this October,” manager Todd Cole said. “Coming off such an outstanding inaugural season for the IceCaps, we are confident that the hockey-hungry fans from the Clarenville area will get out and show their support, as they have consistently done since we opened our doors in 2009.

“It’s another tremendous event to display our wonderful facilities and the community as a whole. We are excited to be offering this calibre of hockey in Clarenville.”